Quaternary ammonium compounds referred to as "quats", are nitrogen compounds having four groups bonded to a nitrogen atom by a covalent C--N bond. The nitrogen atom has a positive charge which requires a counter anion or a balancing negative charge in the quat compound itself. Such compounds are used as fungicides, algicides, bactericides, bleach activators and have many other well known uses. Quats can be easily made by reacting a compound having a covalent halogen atom with a tert-amine.